Constable Lee Lomax, a football banning order officer for Merseyside police, said: "There is no such thing as a typical risk supporter.

"Some are young and some are old. Some are unemployed, while some are in very high-powered jobs."

The banning orders are part of a multi-national policing operation to stamp out vandalism and violence at the games.

Football liaison officer Inspector Bernie Swift of Merseyside police will be travelling to Germany in June to help control the tournament.

Mr Swift said: "I have a lot of respect for people in Merseyside who attend football matches as 99% of those people are perfect supporters, but there is a minority who spoil it for everyone else.

" Football banning orders are an excellent tool for us.

" There is no doubt about it, football fans don't want to be deprived of any opportunity to go to a football match.

"There can also be cases where someone is given a football banning order who hasn't been convicted of an offence, but we can gather a catalogue of evidence and bring it to the courts with the help of our legal team.

"We also liaise with the clubs who are entitled to take their own action against problem fans and there is a lot of information sharing with other police forces around the country."

More than 100,000 British supporters are expected to travel to the World Cup games.

PC Lomax said: "For the duration of the World Cup, myself and other intelligence officers will be at Liverpool John Lennon Airport monitoring flights to all destinations, not just Germany, in an attempt to stop any risk supporters leaving the country.

"We have powers to take away people's passports and bail them to attend court within 24 hours if we feel they pose a risk."